ISTAMBAY SA MINDANAO

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Walter I. Balane's Notes on Peace Processes and Development in Mindanao, Southern Philippines

Kalilang in a hotel under renovation, and identity in Mindanao

It was a bit awkward for me and Omar, a reserved Maguindanaoan who tried to be informative, as we took a peek at the wedding of a couple from two big Maguindanaoan families in Cotabato City.

We were looking through the window from our side of the conference hall— we looked like kids wanting to gate crash or something. Everybody in the training was doing just that as we waited for our morning session to start.

We were holding grassroots documentation and reporting training next door and the arrival of wedding guests drew our attention —especially when traditional wedding songs and hymns began to play. Read the rest of this entry »

Inihanay sa:ARMM, Agriculture, Art and Culture in Mindanao, Entertainment, Every Day Mindanao, Feasts in Mindanao, Food in Mindanao, Freedom, Indifgenous Peoples, Jobs in Mindanao, Local Governance, Lumads and Mindanao, Mindanao, Mindanao's communities, Philippines

The Kalagans of Davao City

I took an aimless walk in downtown Davao City last Sunday. It was something born out of being a surrogate son of Dabaw.  I just wanted to explore what’s in store in the city’s streets. I know the Kadayawan Festival has rolled off so I was hoping I could see new things and sights this time.

I didn’t expect I could catch up with the daily cultural performances slated at the city’s Rizal Park. It was almost 4p.m. so I was surprised when I heard sounds of Moro indigenous percussion “kulintang” and “agong.” Read the rest of this entry »

Inihanay sa:Bukidnon, Davao, Environment, Feasts in Mindanao, Governance, Human Rights, Human Rights in Mindanao, Lumads and Mindanao, Malaybalay City, Mindanao, Mindanao's communities, Philippines, Social Security

Festivities can’t hide sorry state of Mindanao Lumads

DAVAO CITY (Mindanews/9 Aug) – The real face of Mindanao’s indigenous peoples is  not joyous as featured in festivals like the Kadayawan, an official of a group supporting indigenous peoples in Mindanao said.

The Solidarity Action Group for Indigenous Peoples (SAGIP), which is doing technical and organizational support to Lumad (indigenous peoples) communities in Southern Mindanao, said land has remained their biggest problem.

The group sounded off the concern announcing the holding of protest actions in time for the Kadayawan Festival 2007 to “strike a difference” in showing the Lumads’ real situation.

Read the rest of the report on MindaNews.com.

Inihanay sa:Agriculture, Bukidnon, Crime, Davao, Feasts in Mindanao, Governance, Human Rights, Mindanao, Philippines, Safety, Social Security

KADAYAWAN 2007: Calendar of Activities

All roads lead to Davao City for this year’s Kadayawan Festival. The whole month of August is festival fever in the city. Visitors from other places in Mindanao, the country and the world are expected to troop to Dabaw.

Organizers speak of this year’s focus on returning to the city’s indigenous ancestry. Will it bring in new energy for the booming city? Or it will hurt the tourism sector as some people feared?

Take Davao by yourself. Experience the festival to find out the excitement with this guide: Read the rest of this entry »

Inihanay sa:Business, Davao, Economy, Events, Feasts in Mindanao, Governance, Mindanao, Music and Mindanao, News, Philippines, Tourism, Travel and Transportation

(Updated) Duty-free shop back in Davao City

Three years after it pulled out of Davao City, the local duty-free shop will be reopened tomorrow together with other shops at the Davao International Airport.

In March, the news was disclosed by the Department of Tourism signaling the city is receiving more tourist arrivals.

There are other shops that will also open in the airport’s arrival area. I can post more details later as they have organized a press conference after tomorrow’s opening ceremonies.

If I am not mistaken, the duty free shop at the Grand Regal Hotel was closed after the March 2003 bombing and for other reasons.

Now that it will be reopened it should signal better environment for tourists to come, and hopefully for more better things to come to the city and the rest of Mindanao.

Inihanay sa:BIMP - EAGA, Business, Davao, Economy, Events, Feasts in Mindanao, Governance, Looking Back, Mindanao, Mindanawon around the World, Peace Process, Philippines, Safety, Security, Travel and Transportation

DOH trying to keep the doctors in the country

Health Sec. Francisco Duque III admitted to reporters today that the biggest problem facing the Department of Health as of now  is out-migration of the country’s health human resources.

He told MindaNews they have engaged in a battle to keep the doctors from going out by offering them packages to work extra with private hospitals, higher renumeration from Philhealth reimbursements, and a long-term program of scholarships for aspiring doctors nation-wide.

Duque said, however, that the next second biggest problem is budget as the DOH continues to work with a budget cut. Read the rest of this entry »

Inihanay sa:ARMM, Davao, Every Day Mindanao, Feasts in Mindanao, Governance, Health, Human Rights, Mindanao, Philippines, Social Security

Davao dumps ‘too commercialized’ Kadayawan

DAVAO CITY – Commercialized revelries would have to give way to
cultural education.

The city government here announced this today and disclosed that it
would discontinue holding high prized street competitions and street
parties that had drawn participants from many provinces in Mindanao.

Wendel Avisado, city administrator and co-chair of the Kadayawan
Festival 2007 steering committee, told reporters today that the
Kadayawan, renowned as the “festival of festivals in Mindanao” would
push through in August.

“But revelers would have to brace for fewer commercialized activities
as the city government prefers a highly educational appeal, with focus
on the uniqueness of the city’s blend of tribal communities,” he said. Read the rest of this entry »

Inihanay sa:Agriculture, BIMP - EAGA, Business, Davao, Economy, Feasts in Mindanao, Food in Mindanao, Food/Health Related, Governance, Mindanao, Philippines, Tourism

Extended weekend for Dabawenyos as city celebrates 70th foundation day

 

DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/15 March) — As has been the tradition here, Dabawenyos will be on holiday on Friday, March 16, to celebrate the city’s 70th foundation day.

Residents and tourists will be treated to trade fairs, parades, concerts, celebrity gigs, sports events, beauty contests, and other highlights. Davao was formally inaugurated as a charter city in March 16, 1937 byPresident Elpidio Quirino.

Organizers led by Acting City Administrator Jesus Melchor Quitain, Sr.,co-chair of the celebration, earlier told reporters that the annual civic-military parade, one of the highlights, will push through but with fewer delegates in every contingent to keep order.

The parade will showcase Davao’s colorful past with contingents showing milestones in the city’s 70-year history. Read the rest of this entry »

Inihanay sa:Davao, Feasts in Mindanao, Governance, Mindanao

Walkout mars RRD cagefest

DAVAO CITY (March 15/MindaNews) – The Duterte Agilas was declared winner by default after the Ozamiz Cotta walked of their knock out semi-final match against the host Agilas in the Mayor Rodrigo Duterte Invitational Basketball Tournament at the Davao City Recreation Center here Wednesday night.

The Ozamiz Cotta walked out after complaining of alleged “bad officiating” with four minutes and 34 seconds left of the final period with the Agilas on top 85-69.

But Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP) Davao Region director Regino “Boy” Cua denied Ozamiz Cotta’s claims, saying “we have been fair right from the start”.
” In Davao, officiating is fair. The referees have been dealing the games the right way and fair, “Cua said.

Ozamiz was given one-minute to comeback to the game, but chose instead, to go home to their quarters in Brgy. Bankerohan, some half-kilometer away from the gym.
The Agilas will take Tribu Sugbu of Cebu in the finals of the tournament.

The walkout was triggered when the referee threatened to call technical fouls on Ozamiz Cotta’s forward Albert Alberto and Duterte Agila Eliazar Berami who were tangled in physical play.

“There was a commotion between Alberto and Berami and I called them with warning, that’s it, it was just a warning, why did they walk out? “ referee H. Tapere recalled.
Ozamiz playmaker Orly Alvarado was ejected in the 1:07 mark of the third period after getting two technical fouls.

The Agilas behind Jose Randy Panerio and Arturo Atablanco dominated the final period .Panerio had 31 points including a three-pointer that gave the Agilas biggest lead, 85 – 69 before Ozamiz walked out. (Rico Biliran/MindaNews)

Inihanay sa:Davao, Feasts in Mindanao, Mindanao Sports

(Update 6) Davao holds annual parade for 70th Araw ng Dabaw fest

DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/16 March) – A 128-contingent parade of government, private, and civil society organizations drew throngs of people here as the city celebrated its 70th foundation day, which government officials said was successful and peaceful.

Spectators paid attention to the civic-military parade with historical and cultural themes showing Davao City’s culture and history with diorama presentations of the highlights. Organizers said the parade is meant to flaunt Davao’s colorful history and serves as a showcase of the city’s peace and progress throughout the years.

Among the presentations showed were illustrations on the city’s first establishments, like hospitals, hardware and television station.

Some of the spectators told MindaNews when interviewed they were amazed with the educational and entertainment impact of the presentations.

The presence of politicians and celebrities, too, highlighted the event.

Aside from Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and the city councilors, senatorial candidates Joker Arroyo, Ralph Recto, Richard Gomez, and Francis Escudero also showed up, shaking hands with Dabawenyos. Read the rest of this entry »

Inihanay sa:Davao, Feasts in Mindanao, Mindanao, Tourism

Dabawenyos spend holiday for city’s 70th foundation day

As has been tradition here, Dabawenyos will spend a holiday to celebrate the city’s 70th foundation day with pageantry.

Residents and tourists to the Araw ng Dabaw festivities will be treated to trade fairs, parades, concerts, celebrity gigs, sports events, beauty contests, and other highlights.

Organizers, however, warned they will not allow the celebration to be used by
politicians for their campaign gimmicks.

Inihanay sa:Davao, Entertainment, Feasts in Mindanao, Mindanao, Philippines, Tourism

Blog Events in RP

2nd Mindanao Bloggers Summit

Looking Back: Mindanao Under Martial Law

"But there are many things that have not yet come to pass. As I walk the mountain trails, I am still confronted by sad images of massive poverty, landless peasants with limited tools, emaciated old people, malnourished children with bloated stomachs, houses ready to collapse and roads that are also the riverbeds," Bro. Karl Gaspar, CSsR, in "Up in the mountains, I still remember." Pages 116-117 of the book Turning Rage into Courage: Mindanao Under Martial Law Volume 1. The book was published in 2002 by Mindanao News and Information Cooperative Center, the publisher of MindaNews, not only to simply remember Martial rule after 30 years but also to "take a stand, about sacrificing personal dreams, and even lives, for causes larger than ones own" during the Martial Law years.

Eyeing ahead: On constitutionality of ban on aerial spraying

"After a very extensive review and careful evaluation of the voluminous records submitted, arguments and complicated positions from the parties, the court cannot sustain the theory and position of the petitioners in assailing the validity and constitutionality of the subject City Ordinance," Regional Trial Court Branch 17 Judge Renato Fuentes said as quoted by a press statement of a pro-ban group on his September 22 decision to uphold the constitutionality of the Davao City government to pass the law. Three months earlier, Fuentes issued a preliminary injunction stopping the city government from implementing the law passed in March 2007. The ban came following complaints against dangers of the chemicals in spraying using airplanes to the health of the people and the environment surrounding at least 5,000 hectares of export banana plantations in Davao City. But this legal battle could extend to the Court of Appeals and up to the Supreme Court --- something to watch for a long time.

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Frozen Abiqua - 2

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Blogging from Bukidnon in Mindanao, Philippines